Apparatus for the extraction of juices



Oct. 28, 1941.

EMv

Sheets-Sheet l .Oct. 28, 1941. H. d. PETERSON I 0, 5

APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF JUICES|,

Filed march 30, 1938 "4'gsp etsrsheet 2 Oct. 28, 1941. H. o. PETERSON2,260,365

APPARATUS -FOR THE EXTRACTION 0F JUICES Filed March 30, 1938 H 4Shasta-Sheet 4 7/6/8 O-FeZE/SOH i v Helge Peterson, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 30, 1938, Serial N0. 198,878

i4 Claims. (chino-4s) The present invention relates in general, to animproved apparatus for extracting liquid from a liquid containingmaterial and is Particularly like. 1

It is a primary object of the herein described invention to provide in ajuice extracting apparatus improved means for compressing the fruit pulpto liberate the juices therefrom. r I

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forejecting or discharging the pulp from the apparatus after the juice hasbeen extracted fromthe pulp.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for the extraction of fruitjuices which utilize a screen, improved means for enabling the screen tobe removed or changed without having to disassemble the compressingmechanism or havinz to unload or clear the apparatus of the fruit pulpwhich is being compressed therein.

-It is also an object of the invention to provide improved apparatusforthe extraction of fruit juices, which may be operated continuouslyand does not have to be shut down and'charged between compressingoperations.

Still another object is to provide improved means for drawing off theextracted juices after the compressing operation. i

In accordance with the general features of the invention, it is proposedto provide a power driven rotor which is provided with a first set ofinclined vanes which are adapted to feed the juice containing pulptowards a perforated baflle and compress the pulp against this baflle toremove the juices therefrom. This rotor is additionally provided with asecond set of vanes which are arranged to move the compressed pulp in adirection laterally of the direction in which the pulp is moved duringthe compressing operation. The rotor is provided with an inclined endportion at the end adjacent the baflle, so that as the pulp is movedoutwardly it must pass through a passage of gradually decreasing crosssection. As

the pulp passes through this'passage, it is additionally squeezed tofurther remove the juices therefrom and is finally ejected at theperiphery of the baflle.

The juices which are liberated pass through the perforations of thebaflie into a collecting system I including a separating tank. Theuppermost end of this tank isconnected to a vacuum or suction pump whichacts to remove air, gases, and light Of this.-

foam from ,the juices. The'lower end the juices are withdrawn from thetank, anq' there is additionally provided a return connecconcerned withthe extraction of juices from a fruit pulp of such fruits as pineapplesand the tion whereby foam which collects at the pump may automaticallybe returned to the separating tank.

'Afurther feature of the invention resides in Y the connection of thejuice collecting system at the'baille. For this purpose I provide afunnelshaped construction which is re'movably connected to the housingof the device and which cooperates to' hold the bailie in operativeposition. This funnel-shaped member is provided at its throat with aslip joint which permits raising and lowering movements thereof whendisconnecte'd from the housing of the device. .Also. there is a sealedswing joint connection which enables swinging movement of thefunnel-shaped member so as to enable access to the bailleand permit itsremoval for cleaning or being replaced by a baille having differentsized perforations'or screens therein. With such an arrangement it willbe evident that it is not necessary to disassemble the apparatus propernor is it necessary to have to clear the apparatus Of any pulp which maybe passing therethrough.

Other objects and features of the invention will ore fully appear fromthe following detailed v and the vanes for moving u discharge. tank isconnected to a pump by means ofwhich 5 'As shown on theid ra s tdescription, taken in'connection with the amin panying drawings J-Whi0hillustrate a referred embodiment thereof, and in which;

Figure 1 is an elevationalview of apparatus embodying the features ofthe present invention, portions beingin section to illustrate thedetailed and cooperative relationship of certain of its Parts;

Figure 2 is a plan view ofthe same;

Figure 3 chematically illustratesthe juice col lecting system;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the housing for pulpcompressing instrumentalities, taken substantially on line IV-IV ofFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a detailed plan view of the rotor element of the compressingmechanism;-

Figure 6 is a similar view looking at the bottom of the rotor element; uu

Figure 7- is an enlarged plan view of the baflle', portions being cutaway to show the details of its construction; and".

-Figure 8 is a development view of the rotor element showing therelative positions cfthe vanes for moving the pulp against the hall:

thepulp'to position of Referring to Figure 1, the'apparatus of-thearouses present invention comprises a generally tubular housing It,which is preferably of cast steel construction and is provided at oneside with an outspaced rail structures it and "which may constitute apart of any suitable supporting framework for the apparatus.

The upper end of the casing I0 is closed and has supported thereon as bybolts It suitable means such as an electric motor l'l.

This motor is disposed with its driving shaft i8 extending verticallythrough the casing II and journalled in suitable bearings ll, thesebearings preferably being of anti-friction type, which are supported inthe top of the casing.

' The compressing elements of the apparatus are contained within ahousing structure, generally indicated at 20, which is provided at itsuppermost end with an annular flange 2| which is secured to the flangel3 of the casing I 0 by means of suitable flange bolts as indicated at22.

' The housing 20 is of double-walled construction, the outer wall asshown at 23 being downwardly'and outwardly flared from the annularflange 2|. Also extending axially of the outer power in.'Iherlrainagescreenisplacednexttoiiberibsofthescreenframeandmaybeutillsedas:

..;:&-support for grading screen ll of much Referring again tol'igure 4,it will be noted that the driving shaft I! of the motor extends axiallythrough the tubular portion of the'housing'defined by the inner wall 24and has its lowermost end journalled in a suitable bearing 42 supportedat the center of the screen frame.

It will be apparent that the screen frame in effect forms a home whichseparates the interior of the funnel 2| from the interior of the housing2|.

Material from the casing is a forced downif wardly through the tubularportion defined by the wall 24 in a direction towards the baille or, inother words, the screens ll and 4!. This is accomplished by means of arotor structure 48 hav- .insa hub whichissecuredasby akeyllto the shaftII for rotation therewithl Extending outwardly from the hub at itsuppermost end are a plurality ofspirally inclined vanes or wings 48which are so arranged as to form a screw which feeds the pulp materialtoward the screens and wall is-arl inner wall 24 of substantiallyuniform diameter but of shorter length than the outer wall, the innerwall likewise depending from the upper end of the housing. The uppermostadd the inner wall defines an entrance opening 25 into which materialsplaced in the casing ll may move downwardly into contact with thecompressing elements.

- The housing :0 is made of any suitable, ma-

terial, but it is preferred that this housing should be constructed of ametal such as brass. The

lowermost end of the housing 20 has supported therefrom a funnel member28 having an outlet throat 21. The funnel rim is provided withcircumferentially spaced slotted lugs 28, which are adapted to receivethe swing bolts 28 which are hingedon suitable lugs Ill associated withthe outer wall 23 of the casing 20 at its lowermost edge.

By means of the bolts 29 and suitable thumb nuts 3 I the funnel me r maybe drawn against spacer;.fee t 32 which cooperate to engage .theperipheral margin of a screen supporting frame 33 disposed between theupper end of the funnel and the lowermostends of the feet 32. with thisarrangement, it will be apparent that circumferentially extendingopenings 34 are thus provided acts to compress this materialthereagainst.

The outermost ends of the wings 4O terminate in a peripherally extendingtubular rim 41, which in efiect forms an extension of the tubularportion defined by wall 24.

It is preferred that the joint between the lower end of this tubularportion and the upper end of the rim 4! be closed by means of an annularsleeve which may be supported in a peripheral groove 49 at the upper endof the rim and extend over the lower end of the tubular portion definedby wall 24.

Compression of the pulp material against the screens ill and II willcause a liberation of a portion of the juices contained in the pulp.After at the lower edge of wall 23 on the housing 20.

.as the upper surfaces of the ribs 35 and It. This groove, together witha similar groove 38 near the center of the screen frame, provides a seatfor one or more screens, in this case two. The lowermost of thesescreens, which I have termed the drainage screen, is shown at 39 inFigure 7 and may comprise a ring-shaped plate having a this initialcompression and removal of a portion of the juices, the pulp is movedoutwardly over the screens toward the openings 24 by means of aplurality of spiraled ribs or vanes 50 which emanate from. the lowermostend of the hub 44 and are secured adjacent their outermost ends to anangularly disposed rim portion ll forming an extension of the rim 41 atits lowermost end.

AswillbenotedinFigure 6,theribsorwings III at their outer ends areexpanded to provide a series of spaced bearing surfaces 52 which areinterspersed by openings ll communicating with the spaces between therespective ribs. I

The inclined rim portion ll cooperates with the upper surface of thescreens in the screen frame to provide a passageway at the periphery ofthe rotor at its lowermost end which is of decreasing cross section,this eway being indicated at I.

As the rotor is revolved in a clockwise direction. when looking at itstop, the pulp which is being pressed against the screens will naturallytend to lag behind the movement of the rotor.

This relative movement between the material and the rotor, coupled withthe centrifugal action due to the rotation of the rotor will cause amovement of the initially compressed pulp in a radial or outwarddirection along the top of the screen. During this movement, the e ofthe material throughthe peripheral passage way It of decreasing crosssection will cause further compressing of the material and finalextraction of juice therefrom. The comprused j material will bedischarged at the periphery'of plurality of relatively largeperforations it thereassessor a operated and does operations: and.

the rotor snows through the cam-- is at the bottom of the outer wall asof the housing a, where it is-caught in aring-shaped trough ll. The pulphaving the Juice extracted'therefrom may be removed from this troughconvenience of the operator. e v

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, 'the'tubular atthe throat-11 of the funnelis sealed for axial mo ve p i x and spirit cf'the'appended claims.

I ,ments in one end of a right-angled L fitting",-

the other end of this fltting being sealed on an end of a horizontallydisposed tubular member M which may form a part of a Juice collectingsystem.

This arrangement or mounting for the funnel 28 is particularlyadvantageous, since there are times when the baill'e screens lll and Imay become clogged, or it may be desirable to sub-' stitute for a screenframe another screen'frame not have to'be-shut down or which an ammo fordrawing or collec -maths extracted-Juices.

It is, of course. to be although I have described -in detail a singleembodiment of my invention-,- the invention is not to be thuslimited,"but only insofar as deflned by the I claim as my invention: a v

1 H1. As an article of manufacture, a rotor ele ment comprising atubular shell I structure deflning a tubular body portion ofsubstantially uniform diameter, a flared tubular portion at one havingscreensof different size mesh thereon de-'- pending vupon thecharacteristics of the pulp from which the juice is being extracted.

It will be apparent that it is a very easy matter to change the screenframes or clean a screen frame. All that is necessary is to loosen theswing bolts 28 and lower the funnel 26 from its elevated position asshown in Figure 1 tothe dotted ,line position; Having lowered the funnelas just described, the funnel and fitting ll may be rotated about thehorizontal pipe 51 as a pivot, to bring the top of the funnel to aposition, as shown in dotted lines, wherein the funnel top will bedisplaced substantially 99 from its usual operative position. In therotated position of the funnel, the screenframe is readily accessibleeither for cleaning or for substituting a different screen.

It will be apparent that it is not necessary when cleaning or changingscreens to clear the compressing part of the apparatus of any pulp whichmay be therein, nor does it become necessary to disassemble the mainparts of the apparatus.

The Juice collecting system as disclosed in Figure 3 preferablycomprises a separating tank I8 which may have the conductor 51 formed asa end of the body portion, vanes in the body portion adapted to move amaterial disposed therein in an axial direction through the tubular bodyportion towards the flared tubular portion, and vanesin the flaredportion forming continuations of said flrst vanes and adapted to movethe -ma-' terial delivered thereto outwardly away from the axis of theflared portion.

2. Apparatus for extracting Juices from pulpmaterlal comprising arotatable tubular shellof sub connection thereto. This separating tankrethrough a bottom connection 80 which is con-' nected to a suitablepump I.

Foam which might accumulate at the inlet side of the pump is returnedthrough a return connection 82 to the tank.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides an improved apparatus for extracting juices frompulpmaterials, such as fruit pulp and the like; which apparatus embodiesimproved means for compressing the pulp from which the juices are to'beremoved; which includes a novel construction for enabling the screens tobe removed or changed without having to disassemble the comstantiallyuniform diameter at one end and flared at'lts other end, a flatperforate baflle extending oversaid flared end, a plurality of spacedspiralled ribs rotatable with the shell in close proximity toj-theadjaoentsurface of said baille, said ribs havingtheir outer end portionsextending between the flared end of the shell and the baffle for movingmaterial outwardly and compressing it therebetween, and means adjacentthe uniform diameter end of vthe shell for moving material through theshell and between said ribs into compressing engagement with saidbaille.

3. Apparatus for extracting juices from pulp material comprising arotatable tubular shell of substantially uniform diameter at one end andflared at its'other end, a flat perforate bafie extending over saidflared end, a rotatable shaft centrally disposed of said shell andconnected thereto, vanes carriedby said shaft for moving material in anaxial direction through the shell into pressure engagement with saidbailie, and a plurality of ribs carried by said shaft spirally extendingover the adjacent surface of said baiile in close proximity thereto forforcing material radially away from the shaft into the space between theflared end of the shell and the baffle.

4. Apparatus for extracting Juices from pulp material comprising arotatable tubular shell flared at one end, a perforate baflie extendingacross the flared end of said shell, a plurality of spiralled ribsmounted for sweeping movement over the adjacent surface of said baillefor mov-' ing material outwardly over said surface to a position ofdischarge adjacent the periphery of the balls, and extensions on certainof said ribs for moving material in an axial direction through the shelland between said ribs into pressure en asementwith said baflie.

5. Inapp'aratus for extractingiuices from pulp material, a tubularmaterial receiving shell flared at one end, a central hub, a. pluralityof spiralled spaced apart ribs. having their inner ends secured to thehub-and .their outer end portions extending over and secured to theflared portion of the shell, a stationary perforate baflie extend-'pressing mechanism or having to unload or clear theapparatus of materialin the process of being compressed; which includes improved means forejecting the compressed pulp after the juice in: over the flared endofthe shell and said ribs,

the surfaces of the-ribs facing said baifle lyin in the same plane. andwing extensions on 'certain of said ribs'extendlnginto the non-flaredportion of said shell, acting to move material through the shell inanaxial direction into pressure engagement with the bailie and thespiralled ribs acting to move material outwardly between the flared endof the shell and the batlie, when the hub, ribs and shell are rotatedas' a unit.

6. In apparatus for extracting Juices from pulp material, a rotatablymounted tubular shell having one end flared, a plurality of spacedspiralled ribs at said end of the shell, said ribs having a commonconnection adjacent the center line of the shell and their outermost endportions sea cured to the flared portion of the shell, a perforatedbaflle extending over said flared end of the shell and arranged to haveits inner surface disposed ribs across the open flared end of the shell,said ribs being spaced apart and spiralled outwardly from adjacent thecenter line of the 'shell, the outermost end portions of the ribs beingsecured to the flared portion of the shell, a flat perforated baflleextending across the flared end of the shell and said ribs with theadjacent faces of the ribs disposed in a common plane and arranged tosweep the surface of the bailie, the ribs coacting with the flaredportion of the shell and the baflle to form movable passageways ofdecreasing cross-section as the end edge of the flared end of the shellis approached, and means for movin material in an axial directionthrough the shell into engagement with said battle.

8. Apparatus for extracting juices from pulp material comprising arotatably mounted tubular shell defining an inlet end and an outlet end,

' the shell adjacent its inlet end being of substantially uniformdiameter and adjacent its outlet end being flared, a plurality of edgenotches at said latter end, means for supplying pulp material to theinlet end of said shell, a flat perforate baille extending across saidoutlet end and cooperating with the flared portion of the shell todefine a passageway of decreasing height, vanes adjacent the inlet endfor moving material through the shell in an axial direction and ini-.tially compressing the material against said baffle, and other vanesextending between the flared end of the shell and said baflle for movingthe initially compressed material outwardly over said bailie throughsaid passageway to said edge notches, the movement of the materialthrough said passageway effecting further compression of the material.

9. As an article of manufacture, a rotor element for a pulp presscomprising a central hub portion, a first set of vanes on said hubarranged to move a material axially of the hub, a tubular rimsurrounding said vanes and having a portion of uniform diameter securedto the outer end margins of said vanes, said rim portion terminating atone end in a flared portion, and a second set of vanes spiralledoutwardly from the hub with their outer end margins underlying theflared portion of the rim and secured thereto, said latter vanes beingarranged to move material delivered by the first vanes in a directiongenerally outwardly away from the hub and along the flared portion ofthe rim.

10. As an article of manufacture, a rotor element for a pulp presscomprising a central hub, a first set of vanes on said hub arranged tomove a material axially of the hub, a tubular rim surrounding said vanesand having a portion of uniform diameter secured to the outer endmargins of said vanes. said rim portion terminating at one end in aflared portion,- and a second set of vanes forming a continuation of thefirst set of vanes, said second set of vanes being spiralled outwardlyfrom the hub with their outer end margins engaging and underlying theinner surface of the flared portion of the rim, said latter vanes beingarranged to move material delivered by the first vanes in a directiongenerally outwardly away from the hub and along the flared portion ofthe rim,

11. As an article of manufacture, a rotor element for a pulp presscomprising a central hub, a flrst set of vanes on said hub arranged tomove a material axially of the hub, a tubular rim having a portion ofuniform diameter surrounding said first set of vanes and terminating atone end in a flared portion, and a second set of vanes spiralledoutwardly from the hub with their outermost end margins extending underthe inner surface of the flared portion of the rim, said hub, vanes andrim being integrally formed to provide a rotor element of one piececonstruction.

12. As an article of manufacture, a rotor element for a pulp presscomprising a central hub portion, a first set of vanes on said hubarranged to move a material axially of the hub, a tubular rimsurrounding said vanes and having a portion of uniform diameter securedto the outer end margins of said vanes, said rim portion terminating atone end in a flared portion, and a plurality of other vanes spirallyextending outwardly from the hub with their outer end margins underlyingthe inner surface of the rim flared por tion, said latter vanes .havingone set of their corresponding edges disposed towards the first vanesand their other set of corresponding edges disposed away from the flrstset of vanes and. lying in a common plane. j

13. In a device of the character described, a stationary housing havingan inner tubular por-, tion, a perforated baflle in said housing andspaced from said tubular portion, and a rotor element in said housingand having a tubular portion and a flared portion, said rotor tubularportion defining a rotatable extension of the stationary housing tubularportion and said rotor flared portion terminating adjacent the bailie,and continuous vanes rotatable with and extend-.

ing lengthwise of baille.

14. In a device of said rotor and seating on said the characterdescribed, a

stationary flared housing having an inner tubu-' lar portion at one endthereof, a perforated ballie at the other end of said housing,peripheral openings through said flared housing communicating with theupper surface of said baille, a rotatable shaft extending axiallythrough said housing, and a rotor element carried by said shaft andhaving a tubular portion, a flared portion and continuous vanesextending lengthwise of said tubular and flared portions, said rotortubular portion defining a rotatable extension of the stationary housingtubular portion and said rotor flared portion terminating in spacedrelation from said bame,

